Coin-controlled sales apparatus



Dec. 9, 1930. F. ELLEVR 1,784,585

COIN CONTROLLED SALES APPARATUS Filed Dec. 15, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet, 1

Fig. 1.

INVENTOR aw y 27%[2/ Attorney.

Dec. 9, 1930. F. ELLER COIN CONTROLLED SALES APPARATUS Filed Dec. 151927 3 Sheets-Sheet, 2

INVENTOR war/;

Anbrney.

F. ELLER COIN CONTROLLED SALES APPARATUS Dec. 9, 1930.

Filed Dc. 15, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet s -INVENTOR M W Anorney.

Patented 'Dec. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRITZ ELLEB, OIBERLIN-WANNSEE, GERMANY COIN-CONTROLLED SALES APPARATUS Applicationfiled December 15, 1927. I Serial No. 240,292.

for stamping t a issue date on the individual tickets. As nowconstructed, sales apparatus of this class are constructed so as tocontain a pile of tickets provided with printedmatter relating to t ejourney, the cost of the ticket, and the like, and electroma'gneticallyoperated stain ing means are provided for stamping the ate on the saidticket. Therefore, a large number of printed tickets must be kept instore, and further, a strong current is needed for energizing theelectromagnet. The object of the improvements is to provide an a paratusof the class referred to in which blanr tickets are kept in store, thesaid descriptive matter bein printed on the said 30 blank tickets withint e apparatus itself together with the date. Another object of theimprovements is to provide an apparatus in whlch a comparatively weakcurrent is needed for printing the tickets. With these ob- 5 jects inview the invention consists in providmg an apparatus for printingtickets of any known or preferred construction with coin controlledrotary operating mechanism. in one embodiment of the invention aprinting 30 apparatus is used which is normally disconnected from therotary driving member, and in which the coin controlled mechanismcontrols a coupling member for connecting the printing mechanism withthe said rotary 35 driving member. Preferably, the said coin allcontrolled mechanism is further provided with means for starting themotor connected with the said rotary driving member.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1, is an elevation of the apparatus with the side wall of thehousing removed,

Fig. 2, is a similar elevation looking from the right in Fig. 1, thefront and side wall 45 of the casing being removed,

50 line H of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5, is a sectional view showing the printing roller.

1n the improved coin controlled apparatus Y any known or preferredapparatus for printmg tickets ma be provide In the example shown in therawings a printing apparatus of the construction shown in the patent ofthe United States No. 1 529,639, granted to me March 10, 1925, has beenprovided."

The operative parts of the apparatus are As has been described in myaforesaid patent, the printing apparatus comprises a. rotary shaft 7mounted in the end walls of the casing 6 and in a bearing 8 made in theframe 4. To the outer end of the said shaft a sprocket wheel 9 issecured which is connected by a chain 10 with a sprocket wheel 11secured to a shaft 12 connected in a suitable way with the motor shaft.The shaft 7 is made integral with a coupling member 14.- formed with aplurality of coupling teeth. At the side of the said member a cam disk15 is rotatably mounted on a sleeve 16 projecting inwardly from one ofthe end walls of the casing 6, which cam disk is provided with acircumferential cam face comprising a concentric portion 17 and aportion 18 of reduced radius, and with a cam groove 19. On the sleeve 16a gear wheel 20 is rotatable which is fixed to the cam disk 15 by meansof a ring 21. On the cam disk a pawl 22 is rockingly mounted which isformed at one end with a claw 23 adapted for coupling engagement withthe coupling member 14. A rearwardly extending arm 24 of the pawl isacted u on bye spring 25 bearing on a lug 26 secure to the cam disk, andit is normally engaged by a nose-27 of an arm 28 of a bell crank lever28, 29 mounted on a bolt 30 secured to one of the said end walls of thecasing 6. When thus engaged by the nose 27 the arm 24 bears on a of thecasing pin 31 secured. to the'cam disk-15. The arm 29 of the bell cranklever carries a roller 32, which is in position for enga ement with theeripheral cam faces 17 an 18 of the cam disk 15. A third arm 33 of thebell crank lever 28, 29 is acted upon by a coiled spring 34 hearing on alug 3'5 projecting from, the wall and tending to rock the bell cranklever with its nose 27 out of engagement with the arm 24 of the pawl 22.The arm 33 bears on a shoulder 36 of an arm 37 fixed to a rock shaft 38mounted iIFthB end walls of the casing 6 and extending outwardltherefrom. To the outer end of the said she an arm 39 is fixed on whicha pawl 40 is mounted, a]

spring 41 tending to hold the said pawl in enga ement with a pin 42fixed to the arm 39.

. t the side of the cam disk 15 there is a lever 43 which is rockinglymounted on a bolt 44 secured to the side walls of the casing 6, a andwhich is connected at its bottom end with '17. "The cam groove 19 .isformed so as to impart reciprocating movement to the lever 43 and theblade 48 upon rotation of the disk 17. The bolt 44 carries a pawl 51engaging in a notch 52 of the cam disk for preventing rotation thereofin anticlockwise direction.

The gear'wheel 20 is in mesh with an inter-' mediate gear wheel 53adapted to transmit rotary movement to two trains of gear wheels 54, 55,and 57, 58, 59. The gear wheels 54 and 55 are connected with feedrollers 66 and 61 having feeding portions corresponding in lengthto thelength of the card or ticket to be printed upon and portions reduced indiameter, and the gear wheels 57 and 58 are connected with printingrollers 62 and 63. The roller 63 is equipped with types for printing onthe ticket, and it is provided with mechamsm for printing successivenumbers of the tickets. Further, the roller carries movable types forprinting the date on the tickets. As appears more particularly from Fig.5, the t pes representing the date are formed on 'sks 100 fixed totelescoping shafts 101 projecting outwardly from the roller .63-and eachcarrying a disk 102 provided with figures representing the types of thedisks 100.

The gear wheel 55 is provided with registering mechanism 64 for countingthe number of the tickets delivered by the apparatus, and the ear wheels58 and 59 are connected with a suitable ink applying apparatus 56.

Above the mechainsm so far described a reel carrying a strip ofcardboard 65 is mounted, whie strip is taken from the said reel by meansof the feed rollers 60, 61, passed bea tween the printing rollers 62,63, and, after printing, cut by means of the blades 48, 49,

the printed and separated ticket 66 being delivered to a chute 67 endingin a-tray.

If it is desired ,to printa ticket, the motor 3 is started so as torotate the shaft 7, and the bell crank lever is rocked with its nose 27away from the arm 24 of the pawl 22. f

The spring 25 throws the said pawl into coupling en agement with one ofthe teeth of the coup ing member 14, so that the cam disk 18 is coupledwith the shaft 7, and the roller 32 engages the ortion 18 of reduceddiameter of the cam 'sk 15. The lever 43 is rocked to the left so thatthe blade 48 cuts a ticket previously printed,'which ticket slides onthe chute 67 and out of the housing 1 where it can be taken by thepassenger. li rom the cam disk 17 rotary movement is transmitted to thefeed rollers 60, 61 and the printing rollers 62, 63, which, after abouttwo thirds of a complete rotation, and after the blade 48 has beenreturned into initial position, advance the strip 65 and print thereonthe impression, so that a new ticket is passed downwardly and intoposition for emg out upon the next 0 eration of the apparatus. After thecam isk has performed about one third of a complete rotation the roller32 gets on the portion 17 of larger dlameter of the cam disk, so thatthe nose 27 is again in position for engagement with the arm 24, inwhich position it is. locked b the arm 37. Therefore, after one rotation.of the cam disk, the arm 24 impinges uponthe nose 27, so that the pawl22 is rocked pling mem er 14 and the cam disk 15 is arrested.

The mechanism so far described is known in the art, and the novelty ofthe invention resides in the combination of the apparatus or otherticket printing apparatus with the coin controlled controlling mechanismfor the printing apparatus.

To the top part of the frame 4 a frame 70 is secured on which anelectromagnet 71 is mounted, the armature of which is connected with arod 72 passed through a box 73 and guided at its bottom end in a bracket74. The ox 73 is provided with spring-pressed contact pins 5 projectingdownwardly therefromand into osition for engagement with contact pieces6 carried by and insulated from an arm 77 rockingly mounted on the frame4 at 79. On the rear end of the arm 77 a roller 78 is mounted whichnormally engages in a notch 81 of a disk 80 secured to the outer end ofthe shaft carrying the gear wheel 57 and the roller 62. .In the positionof the parts shown in Fig. 1 the roller 78 engages in the said notch,and the contact pieces 76 are out of contact with the contact pins 75.But when starting the apparatus the lever 77 is lifted and the roller 78rides on the circumference of the disk 80 thus holding the contactpieces 76 in contact with the pins 75. At the end of a complete rotationof the disk 80 the roller 78 gets again into engagement with the notch81 of the disk 80, so that the bridge 76 isretracted from the ins 75.The contact ins 75 are connected y the springs 82 wit terminals 83connected by leads 84 with the electromotor.

To the rod 72 0. lug 85 is fixed which is in position for engagementwith the lever 77 and lifts the same with the contact pieces 76 intoengagement with the pins 7 5' when the rod 72 is elevated by theelectroma net 71. Below the pawl a lug 86. is fixe to the rod 72, andthe said lug is ada ted to rock the arms 39. and 37 in anti-cloc wisedirection' for releasing the bell crank lever 28, 29. When the rod 72moves downwardly the pawl 40 ields against the tension of the s ring 41.

has, by the upward movement 0 the rod 72 the pawl 22 is rocked intocouplin engagement with the member 14, and the circuit of the motor 3 isclosed, so that the motor and the shaft 7 are rotated, and rotarymovement is transmitted from the said shaft to the printing anddelivering mechanism.

Coin controlled means are provided for energizing the electromagnet 71.As shown, an arm 87 rockingly mounted on a bracket 88 carries a gutter89 disposed below a chute 90 through which the'coins fall on the saidgutter. The arm 87 is connected with a weighted lever 91 slightlyoverbalancing the weight of the arm 87 and'the gutter 89, so

that the coin falling on the gutter 89 is capable to rock the gutter 89downwardl until the lever 91 is arrested by a pin 98. ly the gutter andthe wei hted lever 91 are supported on a in 92. e coin falling on thegutter 89 is elivered through a chute 93 to a case collecting the coins.The gutter 89 carries a spring-pressed bridge 94 adapted to connectcontact pins 95 connected by leads 96 with the electromagnet 71 and asource of electric energy.

When a passenger desires to bu a ticket he inserts the proper coin throua slot 97 and into the chute the sai coin falling on they gutter 89 andeing delivered therethrough to the chute 93. Bly the coin the gutter 89is rocked downward y so as to connect the contact pins and to close thecircuit of the electromagnet 71. The electrom'agnet lifts the rod 72, sothat the motor 3 is energized, and the printing mechanism is started.After the printing mechanism has once been started, the arm 77 is lockedin circuit closing position by the roller 78 riding on the disk 80.After the coin has left the gutter 89 the said gutter is returned intothe position shown in Fig. 1 thus interrupting the circuit of theelectromagnet 71 at 95. Therefore the rod 72 moves downwardly, and thearm 37 is rocked into position for locking the bell crank lever 28, 29in the position for engagormaling the arm 24 of the pawl 22, so that theprinting mechanism is disconnected from the shaft 7 at the end of onerotation of the cam disk 17. The circuit of the motor 3 is likewiseinterrupted at the end of a complete rotation of the printing mechanismby the roller 78 engaging in the notch of the disk 80.

The electric current required for operating the apparatus is very small.The power to be developed by the electromagnet is small because it isnecessary only to lift the lever 77 and to rock the arm 37. Further, thecurrent consumed b the motor 3 is small. The apparatus can lie operatedat low cost because only blank strips of card board need be kept instore. 1

While in describing the invention reference has been made to particularexamples embodyingxhe same I wish it to be understood that my inventionis not limited to the constructions shown in the drawings, and thatvarious changes may be made in the general arrangement of the apparatusand the construction of its parts without departing from the invention.

I claim: s. L 1. A system for printing tickets, comprismg a printingapparatus, rotary driving means therefor, an electric motor connectedwith said driving means, means for coupling said printing apparatus anddriving means, means operative atthe end of a printing operation forsetting said coupling means into non-coupling position, a switchcontrolling the supply of energy to said motor, an electromagnet and itsarmature, means on said armature loosely engaging said switch and saiprinting mechanism for holding said switch in closed position while theprinting mechanism is being operated, means on said armature adapted forloose engagement with said setting means for operating the same, andcoin controlled apparatus for energizing said electromagnet.

2. A system for printing tickets, comprising a printing apparatus, anelectromotor for driving the same, a switch included in the circuit ofsaid electromotor, an electromaghet and its armature adapted for looseengagement with said switch for closing the same, a switch in thecircuit of said electromagnet, a rockingly mounted receptacle inposition for receiving coins and adapted to close said switch of theelectromagnet, said receptacle being open at the end remote from itsfulcrum, a chute below said receptacle in position for receiving coinstherefrom, a guide member extending upwardly from said chute and intoposition for closing the open end thereof, and means controlled by theprinting mechanism for holding the switch of the electromotor in circuitclosing position during the operationof the printing apparatus.

3. A system for printing tickets, comprisadgpted to, close the same,means controlled by ing a printing apparatus, driving means therefor,means for coupling said printing a paratus and driving means, meansoperatwo at the end of a printing operation for setting said couplingmeans into non-coupling position, an electroma et and its armature, amember tending to ock said coupling means in non-coupling position adevice adapted when energizing said electroma st and operating itsarmature to throw sai locking member out of locking engagement with saidcoupling means and to release said locking member upon continuedmovement of said armature, said device being mounted for yielding uponreturn movement of the armature, and coin controlled means forenergizing said electromagnet.

4. A system for printing tickets, comprising a printing apparatus,-driving means therefor, means for coupling said printing apparatus anddriving means, means operative at the end of a printing operation forsetting said coupling means into non-coupling position, an electromagnetand its armature,

- for setting saidxcoupling ing to hold said setting means in positionfor holding the coupling means in non-cou pling position, a stop on saidtri lever in osition for being engaged by sai armature or rocking saidtrip ever and for being released b the armature continuing its movement,sai stop beingyieldingl mounted for permitting return movement 0the-armature, and coin controlled apparatus for energizing saidelectromagnet. v

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature. 1 a

FRITZ ELLER.

tromagnet and its armature, means for cou- I pling said printingapparatus and drivmg means, means operative at theend of a printingoperation for setting said coupling means into non-coupling position, .arockmg trip lever tending to hold said setting means in position forholding the coupling means in non-coupling position, an arm rockinglymounted on said trip lever in position for being engaged by saidarmature for rocking said trip lever and for being released by thearmature continuing its movement, said arm being yieldingly mountedfo'rpermitting return movement of the armature, and coin controlledapparatus for energizing said electromagnet.

v 6. A system for printing tickets, comprising a printing apparatus,rotary driving means therefor, an electromotor connected with saiddriving means, an'electromagnet and'its armature, a switch included inthe circuit of said electromotor and controlled by] said armature, meansforcoupling said printing apparatus and driving means, means operativeat the end of a printing operation means into noncoupling position, arockmg trip lever tend-

